Welgedacht community is for children

The purpose of the event was to mobilise and raise awareness about the care and protection of children.

The event saw a host of soccer, netball and mini-cricket players come together to support the event.

Also in attendance was the Young Stars soccer team, who played a friendly game against the Multi-Players soccer team.

The event started at 10am, with a march from Second Avenue in Welgedacht, to the stadium.

Placards of messages communicating the importance of child protection were carried as marchers made the long walk to commemorate Child Protection Week.

A host of speakers addressed the children, adults and all those who came to show their support.

The audience sat and listened as issues surrounding gender and protection of women and children, in relation to men, were raised.

“It is important that young boy children are groomed about manhood and the importance of respecting women, from a young age,” says Mpho Modupe of the men’s forum of Welgedacht.

Ramothakhi Maqabe, the Multi-Player’s coach and active member of the community, touched on the importance of sport and health in the holistic development of young children.

“Children grow, not only from education, but from playing and keeping healthy in the process,” he says, “we are raising well-rounded and developed children.”

Kekana Mapule from Reamohetswe Drop-In Centre addressed key issues surrounding child labour and abuse, emphasising children’s rights are the responsibility of all not just parents of young children, or children themselves.

“It takes a village to raise a child so it takes a village to uphold the rights of each child too,” she says.